- John Guillim
John Guillim (c. 1565 –
7 May 1621 ) was anantiquarian andofficer of arms at theCollege of Arms inLondon . He is, perhaps, best remembered for his monumental work "A Display of Heraldry" which was first published in London in 1610.Early life and education
Most historians date the birth of John Guillim to 1565 in the county of
Herefordshire Dictionary of National Biography (Vol. 23), ed. Stephen, Leslie, Sir, 1890] . However, it is possible he may have been born around 1550, the son of John Guillim ofWestbury-on-Severn inGloucestershire [Foster, Joseph (1891) "Alumni Oxoniensis 1500-1714"] . This part ofEngland is very close to the border withWales and Guillim's ancestors were probably of Welsh extraction. He was educated at Brasenose College inOxford University . In 1575 a John Guillim ofMinsterworth married Frances Dennis, and raised a family of one boy, John, and three girls, Margaret, Frances, and PriscillaFamilySearchTMInternational Genealogical Index , Family Group Record [http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/search/igi/family_group_record.asp?familyid=157944348&indi_id=700139440423&lds=1®ion=2&frompage=1] ] .Verify credibility|date=July 2008Heraldic career
The first record of his involvement with heraldry is the
Earl Marshal 's warrant, dated23 February 1604 , permitting him to bear thetabard of thePortsmouth Pursuivant Extraordinary . FromMichaelmas 1613, he was receiving a salary from theCollege of Arms , though his official appointment as Rouge Croix Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary was not made until 1618 [Godfrey, Walter H.(1963), "The College of Arms, a monograph of the London Survey Committee".] .The "Display of Heraldry" was written around 1610 and reprinted as early as 1611. There were seven further editions of the book following Guillim's death, with the last one being printed in 1724. Some historians have suggested that the original author of the "Display of Heraldry" was a clergyman named
John Barkham who was unwilling to have the work published in his own name.Guillim's death is recorded as having occurred on 7 May 1621, probably at
Minsterworth , although there is no record of his place of burial.References
ee also
*
Heraldry External links
* [http://www.college-of-arms.gov.uk The College of Arms]
* [http://www.heraldica.org/topics/britain/heralds.htm Heraldic List of Officers of Arms]
* [http://www.btinternet.com/~paul.j.grant/guillim/index.htm Guillim's "Display of Heraldry" (1611)]
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